July 10, 2018: VA Medical Center Nurse Indicted, Arraigned for Allegedly Tampering with and Stealing Prescription Opioids
|
Food and Drug Administration
|
|
U.S. Department of Justice Press Release
|
|---|
|
For Immediate Release |
United States Department of Justice District of Rhode Island |
|---|
PROVIDENCE – A nurse employed at the Providence VA Medical Center was arraigned and pled not guilty today in U.S. District Court in Providence to a federal grand jury indictment charging him with stealing liquid opioids for his own personal use and replacing them with saline.
Jared Scott, 34, of West Warwick, was indicted on June 28, 2018, on one count each of tampering with consumer products and acquiring a controlled substance by deception and subterfuge.
Scott was released on unsecured bond following his arraignment before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond.
According to information presented to the court, Scott, as a Providence VA Medical Center nurse, had access to vials of liquid opioids for patient use. Scott would access the vials, often for patients that were not his, remove vials of the drug for his own personal use, and leave behind vials filled with saline.
The indictment and arraignment of Jared Scott are announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; Sean J. Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General; and Jeffrey J. Ebersole, Resident Agent in Charge of the United States Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations.
An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Tampering with a consumer product is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 10 years in federal prison, 3 years supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception and subterfuge is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 4 years in federal prison, 1 year supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence P. Donnelly.
The matter was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and the United States Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations.
###
Topic(s):
Opioids
Component(s):
Contact:
Jim Martin (401) 709-5357
Press Release Number:
18-84